Free to follow every thread. No paywall, no dead ends.
Open Game License: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Common questions
When was the Open Game License released by Wizards of the Coast?
Wizards of the Coast released the Open Game License in the year 2000. This legal document allowed third-party developers to modify, copy, and redistribute game mechanics from Dungeons and Dragons.
What is the difference between Open Game Content and Product Identity in the Open Game License?
Open Game Content includes core mechanics, rules, and procedures that anyone can use. Product Identity protects names, logos, stories, and specific character traits that third-party publishers cannot use.
Why did the Open Game License face controversy in November 2022?
Leaked documents suggested that Wizards of the Coast intended to replace the Open Game License with version 1.1, which would have imposed severe restrictions on third-party creators. The draft required creators to report revenue exceeding $50,000 annually and pay royalties for those making at least $750,000 in income.
What happened to the Open Game License after the 2022 backlash?
The company released the System Reference Document 5.1 under an irrevocable Creative Commons license to end the attempt to deauthorize the original Open Game License 1.0a. This decision followed a coordinated movement where over 100,000 people signed the #OpenDND internet petition.
Who was the key figure behind the creation of the Open Game License?
Ryan Dancey spearheaded the initiative and modeled the license on the open-source software movement. He argued that embracing these ideas would spur a huge surge in independent content creation.
Open Game License
In the year 2000, a single legal document changed the landscape of tabletop gaming forever. Wizards of the Coast released the Open Game License, a public copyright license that allowed third-party developers to modify, copy, and redistribute game mechanics from Dungeons and Dragons. This was not merely a permission slip; it was a strategic masterstroke that invited competitors to build upon the company's intellectual property. The license defined two distinct categories of content: Open Game Content, which included the core mechanics, rules, and procedures, and Product Identity, which protected names, logos, stories, and specific character traits. By separating the functional rules from the creative expression, Wizards of the Coast created a legal framework that allowed anyone to create compatible products without fear of litigation. This move was spearheaded by Ryan Dancey, who modeled the license on the open-source software movement, arguing that embracing these ideas would spur a huge surge in independent content creation. The goal was to establish the d20 System as a recognizable trademark, much like VHS or DVD, ensuring that players could migrate between products without incurring transaction costs. The result was an immediate boom in the role-playing game industry, with the majority of new entrants adopting the d20 license and selling at higher rates than non-d20 products.
The Architecture Of Openness
The legal text of the Open Game License was a complex tapestry of definitions and permissions that required careful navigation. It granted users a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use the Open Game Content, provided they adhered to the exact terms of the agreement. The license explicitly excluded Product Identity, which encompassed everything from trade dress and logos to specific creatures, characters, and storylines. This distinction was crucial because it meant that while anyone could use the mechanics of Dungeons and Dragons, they could not use the specific names or stories associated with the official product. For example, a third-party publisher could create a monster with the same statistics as a dragon, but they could not call it a dragon if that name was trademarked as Product Identity. The license also included a clause known as Section 9, which stated that third-party designers could use any authorized version of the license to copy, modify, and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of the license. This clause became the backbone of the community's legal security, allowing creators to continue using older versions of the license even if Wizards of the Coast attempted to change the terms. The legal framework was designed to be a contract with obligations for both sides, meaning that once accepted, the offer could not be revoked unilaterally under the laws of Washington state. This legal structure provided a sense of permanence that was rare in the volatile world of intellectual property licensing.
How did the Open Game License impact the tabletop role-playing game industry?
The license created an immediate boom in the role-playing game industry with the majority of new entrants adopting the d20 license. Electronic publishing allowed creators to reach a wider audience and sell their products at a higher rate than non-d20 products.
The stability of the Open Game License was shattered in June 2008 when Wizards of the Coast transitioned to a new, more restrictive royalty-free license called the Game System License for the fourth edition of Dungeons and Dragons. This new license was incompatible with the previous Open Game License, creating a rift between the company and the community of third-party developers. Greg Tito, writing for The Escapist in 2011, noted that the Game System License took away many of the freedoms that the industry had come to expect, such as the ability to reprint text for clarity in new products. Andy Collins, a Dungeons and Dragons designer who became the Design and Development Manager around the release of the fourth edition, later admitted that he had argued hard to retain an open license similar to the one used for the third edition. He expressed regret that the company did not simply let the original Open Game License die rather than crafting a new license that pleased nobody. The transition marked a period of uncertainty for the industry, as the perpetual nature of the original license remained in widespread use, but the new restrictions signaled a shift in the company's philosophy. The community was left to navigate a landscape where the rules of engagement had changed, forcing many creators to adapt to a more restrictive environment or risk losing their ability to publish compatible content.
The Return To The Roots
On the 12th of January 2016, Wizards of the Coast released the fifth edition System Reference Document under version 1.0a of the Open Game License, marking a return to the open gaming format that had defined the early 2000s. This move was followed by a revision and rerelease of the System Reference Document as SRD 5.1 in May 2016, which further solidified the company's commitment to the open gaming model. Content creators were given the option to publish through the Dungeon Masters Guild storefront, a platform that allowed individuals and third-party publishers to create and sell content based on specific Wizards of the Coast intellectual property such as the Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, and Eberron. While this license allowed creators to set their own prices, Wizards of the Coast and OneBookShelf took a 50% cut of the proceeds, creating a new revenue model for the company. The return to the Open Game License was seen as a victory for the community, as it restored the ability to create legal support products for the game without the restrictions imposed by the fourth edition. The System Reference Document included the basic rules and elements of Dungeons and Dragons, such as classes, monsters, spells, and magic items, enabling the creation of legal support products for the game. This period marked a resurgence in the industry, with the open gaming movement gaining momentum and the d20 license continuing to be the standard for third-party content.
The Storm Over The Storm
In November 2022, the gaming community was thrown into chaos by leaked documents suggesting that Wizards of the Coast intended to replace the Open Game License with a new version, OGL 1.1, which would have imposed severe restrictions on third-party creators. The leaked draft included provisions that would have required creators to report revenue to Wizards of the Coast if it exceeded $50,000 annually and pay a royalty starting in 2024 for those making at least $750,000 in income. The document also stated that the license would not cover video games or virtual tabletops, and it would have required creators to put an official OGL badge on their products. Lin Codega, writing for Io9, reported that the leaked document included language that may have rendered any future use of the original OGL 1.0a void, forcing creators to abide by the terms of the updated license. The document also stated that the intention of the Open Game License was not to fund major competitors and it was not intended to allow people to make D&D apps, videos, or anything other than printed materials for use while gaming. The leak caused panic among third-party publishers, with many placing in-progress projects on hold and considering switching role-playing game systems entirely. The backlash was immediate and severe, with over 15,000 survey submissions received by Wizards of the Coast, 89% of which were dissatisfied with the deauthorization of OGL 1.0a.
The Community Fights Back
The backlash to the leaked OGL 1.1 draft was not merely a complaint; it was a coordinated movement that reshaped the industry. Within days of the leak, over 100,000 people signed the #OpenDND internet petition, including well-known community members such as M.T. Black, Mark Hulmes, and Mike Shea. The community's response was so strong that it led to a scramble by upper management at Wizards of the Coast to adjust their messaging. Major publishers like Paizo, Kobold Press, and Green Ronin announced that they would be developing new open game systems to replace the OGL, including the Open RPG Creative License, which was designed to be open, perpetual, and irrevocable. The community also organized a campaign to cancel subscriptions to D&D Beyond, which had a non-negligible impact on the bottom line of Wizards of the Coast. The movement was so successful that it forced the company to issue a series of apologies and revised drafts. The community's unity demonstrated the power of the open gaming movement, as creators from across the industry came together to protect their livelihoods and the future of the game. The backlash was so severe that it led to the company's decision to release the System Reference Document 5.1 under an irrevocable Creative Commons license, effectively ending the attempt to deauthorize the original OGL 1.0a.
The Legacy Of The License
The events of 2022 and 2023 left an indelible mark on the history of tabletop role-playing games. The controversy surrounding the Open Game License led to the creation of new open licenses, such as the Open RPG Creative License, which was designed to protect against future attempts to modify or rescind the terms. The community's response also led to the release of the System Reference Document 5.1 under an irrevocable Creative Commons license, ensuring that the core rules of the game would remain free and open for future use. The controversy also highlighted the importance of trust between creators and publishers, as the community's reaction demonstrated that they would not tolerate attempts to revoke the rights they had been granted. The legacy of the Open Game License was not just in the products it enabled, but in the community it fostered. The license had an immediate impact on the tabletop role-playing industry, with an increase in new TTRPG publications where the majority of new entrants adopted the d20 license. The success was amplified by the rise of electronic publishing, which allowed creators to reach a wider audience and sell their products at a higher rate. The Open Game License had become a symbol of the open gaming movement, a testament to the power of community and collaboration in the face of corporate power.